Watch out for your poll card
Poll cards are being sent out next week to registered residents and they contain important information, such as which polling station you should use to vote on 5 May 2022.
You do not need your poll card to vote, however it will speed up the process if you bring it along to your polling station on election day. Some of the ward boundaries are changing at the next election, so you might be in a different ward and need to use a different polling station to the one you are used to, so make sure you check your polling card and keep it somewhere safe.
There is still time to register to vote online by visiting www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. It only takes a few minutes and the deadline for registration for the upcoming local elections is 14 April 2022.
If you have not received your poll card by the end of March, then you might not be registered to vote. To check if you are registered at your address, please contact the elections team by phone on 020 8583 2828 or by email on elections@hounslow.gov.uk
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Get ready for the Great British Spring Clean
 Grab your litter picks and pack some bin bags, because it’s time for the Great British Spring Clean! This national event, organised by Keep Britain Tidy, kicks off on Friday, 25 March and runs until Sunday, 10 April.
The call has gone out for residents, community groups, organisations and the business community throughout the borough to organise their own local litter pick.
This campaign message is simple: join the #BigBagChallenge and pledge to pick up as much litter as possible.
Hounslow has been a big supporter of the Spring Clean in previous years. This year we want more people than ever picking up.
How to get involved
Pledge as a group
Simply pledge, as a group, how many people will take part and how many bags you hope to collect on the Keep Britain Tidy’s website here.
We can help
Once you have pledged, tell us about the clean-up event you are planning by emailing: Cleaner.Greener@hounslow.gov.uk. The Council can provide free bags and lend you litter pickers for your event. We will also organise for your bagged waste to be collected after the clean-up.
After the clean up
Submit your results on Keep Britain Tidy’s website and tell us how many bags of waste you collected!
World Autism Acceptance Week 2022
 Autism is a lifelong developmental disability which affects how people communicate and interact with the world. It is a spectrum condition and affects people in different ways. 1 in 100 people are on the autism spectrum and there are around 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK.
Founded by the National Autistic Society (NAS), it was formerly known as World Autism Awareness Week. However, following feedback it was recently announced that it is now called World Autism Acceptance Week.
For World Autism Acceptance week in 2022 we wish to join NAS in celebrating a shift in focus, from raising awareness, to increasing acceptance and understanding. As individuals and communities, we can change society.
Help us change attitudes and create a society that works for autistic people. Find out more, including local support available in Hounslow at World Autism Acceptance Week 2022 – CarePlace
Food for thought at Hounslow House
 Don’t waste it, taste it.
That’s the big message at Hounslow Hounslow on Monday, 28 March, when we welcome local food guru Sara Ward for a special session on how to love your leftovers.
Sara has created a smallholding in Brentford, called Hen Corner, where she refines her passion for all things foodie. She will be sharing her top tips during three bite-sized sessions at Hounslow House, between noon and 3pm
Calling all artists
Hogarth's House is looking for artists to lead workshops this year in their new Weston Studio in Chiswick. They want to hear from local talent to support the local artistic and culture community in Hounslow.
They are also particularly interested in hearing proposals from local artists around the theme of Hogarth’s Mulberry Garden or his work generally.
The deadline is 1 April and there is no limit to the number of proposals. To get in touch DM @HogarthsHouse on Twitter or visit www.hogarthshouse.org.
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Find healthier swaps for next time you shop
Looking to make healthier eating habits this spring?
Download the free NHS Food Scanner app to scan, swipe and swap healthier choices for you and your family
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The Hounslow High Street Conference 2022
What: Online Event by Save The High Street Hounslow
When: Friday, 1 April (12pm-2pm)
Are you trading on a high street, in a market or a shopping centre? Are you a local champion, town centre landlord, industry supplier or anyone else interested in helping your local high streets succeed?
You’re invited to The Hounslow High Street Conference to find out what’s happening on high streets near you, as well as how you can get involved and benefit from new initiatives to help local high streets thrive in 2022.
This is the ultimate online event for anyone who cares about the future of high streets in Hounslow.
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Don’t forget to renew you Garden Waste subscription
This year’s Garden Waste collection service ends on Thursday, 31 March.
If you haven’t already renewed your subscription for the coming year, now is the time to do it! Residents are advised to sign up before 1 April to ensure they receive the full year service.
The Garden Waste collection service is a convenient, low-cost way to dispose of your cuttings throughout the year. The new service will run from Friday, 1 April, 2022, until Friday, 31 March, 2023.
Collections take place every fortnight by the Council’s collection partner, Recycle 360.
Residents without access to a computer can subscribe by calling our Contact Centre on 0208 583 5555.
More information on the service including how to subscribe or renew your subscription please visit www.hounslow.gov.uk/gardenwaste
Win a class trip to Wembley Stadium
 UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 is giving one lucky class the chance to win a trip to Wembley Stadium and go behind the scenes to explore the iconic dressing rooms and feel the incredible rush of walking through the tunnel to the hallowed Wembley turf.
What’s more, you’ll also have space to teach your own Women’s EURO themed lesson at the home of football an experience your pupils won’t forget!
For your chance to win this incredible prize, all you need to do is sign up to UEFA Women’s EURO Schools Programme here and download one of the available resources by 4 April.
The Schools Programme gives teachers and schools access to a range of free, downloadable tournament resources to get pupils ready to this summer’s tournament. Sign up today and download your resources.
Discover Digital Dock
 Digital Dock Brentford is the first-ever affordable co-working space in the heart of Brentford, managed by Hounslow Council.
This accessible space is perfect for small businesses, freelancers and homeworkers looking to free themselves from the kitchen table.
The space - a converted two storey vacant shop on Brentford High Street - delivers a stylish, flexible and inclusive co-working space and collaborative hub. Ideal for entrepreneurs, start-ups, micros or businesses needing a desk or meeting room at affordable prices.
Digital Dock’s flexibility and super-fast WIFI also makes it the perfect venue to hire for events and workshops, or even as a makeshift studio for content creators (photography, video & streaming).
The co-working space offers pay as you go, monthly and annual flexible contracts through an online booking system with the option to book workstation desks, hire private offices, meeting rooms and the digital studio.
Get in touch today to claim a free tour or trial session by emailing enquiries@digitaldockbrentford.com.
Could you make a difference to your community?
 Nominations are now open for anyone who wants to stand as a candidate in the local elections this May. If you are interested in standing as a candidate, you must submit your nomination papers before the deadline on Tuesday, 5 April 2022 at 4pm. To book an appointment please contact the Head of Electoral Services at kully.tumber@hounslow.gov.uk
Nomination papers can be downloaded from the Hounslow Council website by visiting www.hounslow.gov.uk/nom-papers-2022 . The notice of election was published on Wednesday, 23 March and the election timetable can be viewed by clicking the button below.
Community Reference Groups recruitment update
 To date, 35 people from across the borough have expressed an interest in joining one of our three CRGs.
Many of these have opted to join the Cleaner Greener CRG, so we still need people to come forward for the Climate and Clean Air and Youth groups.
CRGs are groups of people from all backgrounds who have a shared interest in improving their neighbourhood and environment.
The Climate and Clean Air CRG will look at issues including improving the borough's air quality and supporting the goal of Hounslow becoming a net-zero carbon borough.
The Youth CRG is for young people aged between 18 and 25 who want to play an important role in shaping the borough’s response to environmental issues.
We are continuing to appeal for members for these two important groups.
For more information email: environmental.champion@hounslow.gov.uk .
New investment for Hounslow’s key services
 The Council has now agreed its budget and set the borough’s Council Tax for the year ahead.
Councillors also approved recommendations to increase Council Tax by 2.99%, which includes a 1% increase to be spent on adult social care. The increase is about 77p a week for the average home and well below the current rate of inflation.
Watch the short video which explains more about the Council's work, the budget pressures it's facing and the reason why Council Tax will be increasing this year. Hounslow Budget 2022 - YouTube
The budget also includes new investment in some important services and facilities, including:
- £5.4m for major improvements to local parks.
- £1.5 for community-led transport schemes.
- £2.7m to build a new children’s home in Feltham.
- £850k for the Council’s innovative Community Solutions programme, which provides support to residents before they reach crisis point.
- £1m for wheeled recycling containers for residents and local businesses.
Vaccine Bus schedule
 Get on board Hounslow’s Vaccination Bus, touring the borough to a stop near you! Your immunity loses power over time. Maximise your Covid-19 defence and get fully vaccinated. Come chat with the team to address any concerns or questions.
Monday, 28 March 2022
The London College, 680 Bath Road, Cranford TW5 9QX 10am – 4pm
Tuesday, 29 March 2022
Hounslow High Street, Bell Square 10am – 4pm
Wednesday, 30 March 2022
Hounslow High Street, Bell Square 10am – 4pm
Thursday, 31 March 2022
Chiswick B&Q, 2 Larch Drive, Chiswick W4 5QL 10am – 4pm
Living with Covid-19, how to remain safe
 Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted by the Government, including the legal requirement to self-isolate, as part of a "Living with Covid" plan.
As the Government has announced the removal of the remaining domestic regulations in England, and we move to the next phase of living with Covid-19, we continue to advise caution and we recommend you follow the Government guidance through the transition. Individuals can still reduce the risk of catching and passing on Covid-19 by:
- Getting vaccinated.
- Letting fresh air in if meeting indoors, or meeting outside.
- Wearing a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces, especially where you come into contact with people you do not usually meet, when rates of transmission are high.
- Trying to stay at home if you are unwell.
- Taking a test if you have Covid-19 symptoms, and staying at home and avoiding contact with other people if you test positive.
- Washing your hands and following advice to ‘Catch it, Bin it, Kill it’.
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